Water-cooler attachment for refrigerators.



C. H. BOECK.

WATER COOLER ATTACHMENT FOR REFRIGERATORS.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28. I911- Patented J an.v 28, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

rim s'raains PATENT oration.

CHARLES H. BOECK, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 WHITE FROST REFRIG- ERATOR COMPANY, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

WATER-COOLER ATTACHMENT FOR REFRIGERATORS.

Application filed September 28, 1917.

b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BoEoK, a citizen of the United States, residin at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and tate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Cooler Attachments for Refrigerators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to water coolers designed more particularly to be used in connection with a refrigerator to utilize. the same refrigerating agent as that employed in an ordinary ice box without the necessity of supplying a greater quantity of ice than would be normally requisite to maintain a frigid temperature within the same.

The main objects of my invention are to provide a water cooling attachment to refrigerating apparatus whereby a small quantity of water supplied from a water container supported on the refrigerator may be drawn into the ice box and kept cool ready for use as needed, together with means for readily replenishing the cooler from time to time as the water is drawn off, such means including a reservoir connecting and sup porting bracket adapted for attachment to the outer wall of the refrigerator in communication with the cooler within the refriger ator in such manner that the ice ordinarily used for refrigerating purposes may also be used for cooling drinking water, thereby reducing the ice consumption which may occur in increasing proportion where large quantities of the reserved water are fed to the cooler at-once, and further to adapt the device to effectively cool a reasonable amount of water for drinking purposes commensurate with its size without an added cost of additional quantities of ice.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a refrigerator a part of which is broken away to show my improved water Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Serial No. 193,752.

cooler and its connection with the water reservoir in assembled position on the refrigerator;

Fig. 2, is a plan view of the water reservoir connecting and supporting bracket and its connection with the water cooler;

Fig. 3, is a plan view of the water cooler detached parts thereof being broken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. 4, is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, is a vertical sectional elevation of the water reservoir connecting and supporting bracket; the same being disconnected from the water cooler and refrigerator.

Referring to said drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to denote corresponding parts in different views, the letter A may denote a refrigerator of any ordinary type or construction, though preferably of cylindrical form, as shown, having the usual ice compartment a. within which is placed the water cooler B (Which may be supported on a metallic plate or false bottom having miniature legs or rests b, and is provided with water inlet and exit ports provided with nipples b and b respectively, said false bottom being adapted to rest upon the inner floor or bottom of the ice compartment a. Said cooler B, may be constructed of any suitable material, and in different sizes, but preferably of galvanized steel or sheet metal in the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, as shown, it consists of a flat metallic disk or bottom plate 6 and a top plate I). of similar shape having a circumferential depending flange 6 .which has on its lower edge a surrounding flange b adapted to be clamped down upon the first mentioned disk 6, by bending the edge of the latter back upon itself and over the edge of the flange 72" so as to form a water-tight joint therearound; said joint being preferably sealed by soldering or otherwise to further prevent any leakage of the water confined within the cooling chamber. The member I) of said chamber or the face or surface portion thereof may be corrugated so as to pro vide a channeled surface to permit the water from the melting ice .which rests thereupon ben may be formed in any suitable manner to provide a flattened or substantially flattened receptacle which is sealed and watertight, and it is not intended to limit the invention to a cooler of the specific form shown. Between the top and bottom plates of the cooling chamber is formed or provided a partition 12 :which may consist of a flanged metal plate placed edgewise and having its flanges soldered to the top and bottom plates so as to divide the chamber into two compartments one of which is preferably of larger capacity than the other. It will be readily understood that unless some means are provided to eflect the complete circulation of the water while it rests within the cooling chamber, it might be drawn off as soon as it had entered the cooler and before there had been suflicient time for it to be cooled by the cooling effect of the ice.

To this end one end of said flanged metal plate 6 is securely joined and sealed to the inner circumferential wall of th cooling chamber at a point between the inlet and exit portsv and b and the other end. thereof, which is also secured to the inner circumferential wall of said chamber is provided with a recess or opening 6 to provide a water passage connectingthe two compart ments so that the water, as it enters the inlet 6 is caused to, circulate around the smaller compartment into and through the larger compartment, wherein it is thoroughly cooled by the ice resting upon the top of the cooler, and is prevented from being drawn out through exit 6 before it has circulated through the entire cooling chamber, or before it has been exposed to the cooling effect of'the ice above it.

improvement thus insures a complete circulation of the water through the cooler before it can be drawn off, so that sufficient iced water always remains within the cooler for drinkingpurposes.

The exit port of the cooler B is adapted for connection with an exit pipe E passing through the wall of the refrigerator: said pipe E having a spigot e at the other end thereof for drawing off the water as desired.

The inlet port 6 of the water cooler B is adapted for connection through the wall of the refrigerator with an elbowed connecting pipe 0 carried by or secured to the reservoir-connecting and supporting bracket C; said bracket being adapted to support a suitable reservoir D, such as a bottle or the like, which may contain suflicient water at all times to supply fresh water as the cooled water is drawn from the cooler for consumption. Said bracket C, which is preferably constructed as shown in Figs. 2 and 5,. may be also constructed of galvanized steel. or sheet metal, and may consist of a metal top plate 0 having a depending marginal flange or side portion 0 of. substantially U- shaped form, extending around its curved end and along the straight edges or sides thereof and provided at the free ends of the flange with lateral bends or flanges c adapted to be attached to the refrigerator wall. to secure the bracket thereto. The metal top plate 0 at the free end thereof, is preferably slightly concaved to conform to the shape of the outer refrigerator wall when the bracket is secured thereto. (See Fig. 2.)

At its other end, the top plate 0 has a circular opening therethrough with a pendant marginal flange and a depending cup member 0 is securely fastened to said flange and sealed by soldering or otherwise or may be cast therewith. Said cup member is provided with a circular opening in its bottom and an internally threaded circular member 0 secured in said opening so as to provide a water-tight connection with the above mentioned connecting pipe 0. The water bottle or receptacle D has an externally threaded end portion or neck (not shown) and is adapted to be placed in inverted position upon the bracket C with its threaded neck in position to be screwed into said internally threaded portion 0 at the bottom of the cup member 0* of the bracket C, and when tightly screwed down thereupon the mouth of the bottle neck may engage a resilient gasket 0 placed on the bottom of the threaded member 0 to effect a perfectly watertight joint.

It will be seen that in the described construction a very strong but light reservoirsupponting bracket is provided which is well braced to withstand the weight which a water filled receptacle places upon it and a very convenient mode of supplying water as needed to the water cooler.

It will be understood that when the water is drawn from the cooler through the spigot e, an amount of water from the reservoir equal in amount t that displaced from the cooler will flow into the cooling compartments and circulate therethrough where it will be effectively cooled successively by the ice which rests upon the top of the water cooler B. The reservoir bottle or other rereptacle D may be provided with a detachable cover (i so that it may be replenished with fresh water without removing the receptacle from its position upon the bracket.

While I preferably employ the improved cooling device constructed substantially as described and specially designed and adapted for use in connection with my improved water-reservoir connecting and supporting bracket, other forms may be employed, and I do not claim herein the water cooling device per 80, which will be made the subject of a separate application.

While I have illustrated and described my invention as being designed and adapted especially for use as an. attachment to or in connection with an ordinary refrigerator, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to such use, but may be used apart'from a refrigerator, or in connection with any suitable ice-box or the like adapted to inclose the water cooling device together with a cake or cakes of ice resting on said device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In combination with a refrigerator having a water cooler therein, a water reservoirconnecting and supporting bracket compris ing a top plate having a depending marginal bracing flange of substantially U-shaped form extending around the edge thereof, a cup member depending from said top plate and having in its bottom an internally threaded annular portion connected with a. pipe leading to said cooler. a resilient gasket seated in said annular portion, a water reservoir having an externally threaded neck screwed into said annular portion and having connection therethrough with said water cooler, and means on said connecting and supporting bracket for attachment to the outer wall of the refrigerator.

2. In combination with a refrigerator having a water cooler therein provided with water inlet and outlet ports detachably connected with inlet and discharge pipes extending through the body of the refrigerator, a water reservoir-connecting and supporting bracket attached to the outer wall of the refrigerator having a cup member depending therefrom, said member having an internally threaded annular portion in its bottom for connection with the threaded neck of a water reservoir on said bracket and connected with the inlet pipe of the water cooler; said outlet port being connected with a suitable spigot for drawing off the water as desired.

3. In combination with a refrigerator having a water cooler therein provided with water inlet and outlet ports, a water-reservoirconnecting and supporting bracket attached to the outer wall of the refrigerator and having a cup member depending there from; said cup member havin an internally threaded annular portion in 1ts bottom and said annular portion having a water pipe fixed at one end thereto and connected at its other end with the inlet port of the watercooler; the outlet port of said water cooler having a pipe connection with a suitable spigot for drawing off the water as desired.

4. In combination with a refrigerating apparatus, a water-reservoir connecting and supporting bracket consisting of an oblong metal plate having a depending marginal flange extending along its straight edges and around one end thereof and having means at the other end thereof for attachment to a refrigerator; said plate having an opening therethrough and a cup-like member depending from said opening; said cuplike member having an opening through its bottom, and a tubular intoriorly threaded coupling-member connecting the latter opening with a dischar e pipe adapted for connection with the in ct to a water cooler projecting from the outer wall of the refrigerator.

5. In combination with a refrigerating apparatus, a Water-reservoir connectin and supporting bracket consisting of an dblong metal plate having a depending curtain-like marginal flange extending around one end and along the straight edges thereof and means at the other end of the plate for attaching it to a refrigerator; said plate having an opening therethrough and a depending cup-like member supported underneath said opening; said cup-like member having an opening through its bottom, a tubular interiorly threaded coupling-member connecting the latter opening with a discharge pipe adapted for connection with the inlet to a water cooler projecting from the outer wall of the refrigerator, and a water-reservoir or container seated in said cup-like member and having a threaded neck screwed into said coupling-member.

6. In combination, a refrigerator having a shallow water cooler therein forming a false bottom to the ice chamber and inlet and outlet pipe-connections projecting from the outer wall of the refrigerator, a waterreservoir connecting and supporting bracket attached to said outer wall and consisting of an oblong metal plate having a depending curtain-like substantially U-shaped marginal flange extending around one end and along opposite sides and provided at the other end with means for attaching it to the refrigerator; said plate having an opening therethrough and a cup-like member depending from said opening; said cup-like member having an opening through its bottom; and a tubular coupling-member connecting the latter opening with a discharge pipe adapted for connection withvsaid inlet.

7. In combination, a refrigerator having a shallow water cooler therein forming a false bottom to the ice chamber and inlet and outlet pipe-connections projecting from theouter wall of the refrigerator, a water-reservoir connecting and supporting bracket attached to said outer wall and consisting of an oblong metal plate of convex form at one end and concave at the other; said plate having a depending curtain-like substantially U- shaped marginal flange extending around its convex end and provided at its concave end with means for attaching it to the refrigerator and also having an opening there through and a cup-like member depending from said opening; said cup-like member having an opening through its bottom, a tnbular interiorly threaded coupling member connecting the latter opening with a discharge pipe adapted for connection with said inlet, and a cylindrical glass vessel seated in said cup-like member and having a removable top and an eXteriorly threaded neck screwed into said coupling-member.

8. In combination, a refrigerator having a water cooler therein forming a false bottom to the ice chamber and inlet and outlet pipeconnections protruding through its outer wall, a water-reservoir connecting and supporting bracket attached to said wall consisting oi an oblong metal plate having an opening therethrough and a depending substantially U-shaped marginal flange, a cup1ike member depending from said open ing and having an opening through its bottom, a tubular interiorly threaded coupling J member connecting the latter opening with a discharge pipe adapted for connection with said inlet, and a water-reservoir seated in said cup-like member and consisting of a glass body having a removable top and an exteriorly threaded neck screwed into'said coupling-member.

9. In combination with a refrigerator having an ice chamber with a water cooler therein provided with inlet and outlet pipeconnections protruding through the outer Wall of the refrigerator, a bracket secured to said outer wall having a cup-like member thereon provided with an opening in its bottom and a tubular interiorly threaded coupling-member connecting said opening with a pipe which discharges into said inlet, and a Water-reservoir seated in said cup-like member having a filling opening in its top provided with a detachable cover and having on its lower end a tubular threaded neck screwed into said coupling-member.

In testimony whereof I ah'iX my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES H. BOECK.

Witnesses F. L. Hum), C. Gorrn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

